Tag Archives: Michael Laiskonis

The final day of a StarChefs ICC is shorter than the others and is always filled with ennui as the Product Fair starts breaking down right after lunch. That said, it is again stuffed with great content as well as […]

I was recently having dinner with indefatigable double James Beard Award winner¹ Maricel Presilla, her husband, my wife and our son at her wonderful Hoboken Cuban-Latino restaurant Zafra when Maricel started talking about The International Chocolate Awards and invited me […]

The final day of each StarChef ICC is always bittersweet. It’s a power-packed day of demos, workshops, competition finals and great food and drink, but then it is over for another year. Unfortunately, for the final day, my team was […]

It has become impossible for me to cover the StarChefs ICC by myself. The event has grown and has an awful lot going on. Even with the return of Sarah Gardener, my son L.J. Sconzo and the addition of my […]

Once the red carpet was through I headed to the Green Room of Avery Fisher hall at Lincoln Center, ground zero for the media covering the event, to partake in festivities and await the winners as they were announced and […]

I was lucky enough to attend the James Beard Awards last night in NYC. This annual event, which also acts as a celebration of James Beard’s birthday, brings together luminaries from the culinary world from all over the United States. Here are […]

Pastry Chef Michael Laiskonis is an industry icon—a leader, innovator, and mentor who has inspired generations of cooks both in the kitchen, as well as through his thoughtful prose and active participation in the world’s culinary dialogue. After eight years […]

I was stunned and saddened when I first heard that Michael Laiskonis, the amazing pastry chef at Le Bernardin was going to be leaving his position at the restaurant at the end of this year. Le Bernardin has been a […]

The biggest problem at the Starchefs ICC is that one can’t see, do and taste everything. There is simply too much going on at any one time. Difficult decisions need to be made. Starting the final day , I was […]

Johnny Iuzzini, Alex Stupak, George Mendes, Brooks Headley & Michael Laiskonis
Aldea is a special restaurant to me in so many ways. I love George Mendes' cooking. I love George Mendes – in addition to being a superb chef, he […]